


A far too easy fall

by ImperialRemnant



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Bittersweet Ending, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Luke Skywalker makes an appearance, M/M, Obi-Wan and Hondo POVs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-12
Updated: 2019-09-14
Packaged: 2020-10-17 06:09:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20616257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImperialRemnant/pseuds/ImperialRemnant
Summary: “Well next time, don’t fall then,” Obi-Wan joked, getting up and ready to make a run for their ship.“You are an easy man to fall for, General Kenobi,” Hondo quipped, and Obi-Wan hadn’t really processed the meaning of it until they got back to the ship.Hondo and Obi-Wan meet during the age of the Galactic Empire, and decide to work together for a time.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Not edited or beta'd or anything, I wrote it up and was compelled to share pretty quickly, especially since there's not a lot for this pairing ;)

The pirate flipped the credit chip in his hand, swaggering along between the piles of crates, other hand on his blaster.

He reached the end of the piles, where two stormtroopers who’d eventually heard his footsteps turned to face him.

“Halt! State your name and business.”

He gestured largely with his hands, also pulling out his blaster from his belt as he did so, “My name is Hondo Ohnaka! Greatest pirate in the galaxy!”

The stormtroopers shared a look between each other… considering their helmets that was an achievement. But then they turned back to Hondo and fired, not even bothering to have their blasters on stun.

The shots stung where they hit, but Hondo was still standing. “You do realise that Weequay skin is blaster proof, no?”

He held his own blaster towards them and stunned them unconscious. Easy.

* * *

Hondo was looking through the crates around the ship to see what exactly the Empire was transporting. He hadn’t bothered figuring out before hand, he had just spotted a small imperial carrier, and decided to go and check it out. After all, it was the Empire’s fault he was crewless… lonely… friendless.

Ah, all his many crew and friends. His thoughts wondered to the Jedi as he was looking through a weapons cache. The poor Jedi, his old friends, the _younglings_.

And it was as though something in the universe had read his mind, and knew his thoughts were on the Jedi – or even one specifically.

Hondo pulled out his blaster at the sound of footsteps. Perhaps one of the stormtroopers had awoken, he’d have to put an end to that. But he froze at the sight of the figure, and though half the face was hidden by a hood he surely recognised them.

“Do my eyes deceive me?”

The hood came down to reveal the face of Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. “Hondo?”

“Obi-Wan!” Hondo threw his arms out, in too much of a rush to even put his blaster away, he went over and flung his arms around the Jedi. “My old friend! I thought- after the purge- I thought perhaps- But you are alive! I have never been so… So…” Hondo managed to, somehow, pull himself away from Obi-Wan even though every part of him wanted to do otherwise. He kept a hand on his shoulder, “Well, so happy!”

Obi-Wan smiled at him, and dare he say his eyes even twinkled, though there was a great sadness behind them, “it’s good to see you too, my friend.”

* * *

“I am sorry about Skywalker,” Hondo said. He had led Obi-Wan back to his ship, and Obi-Wan had keenly followed, having boarded this carrier on planet and really had nowhere else to go. “He was a good man, and a great Jedi!”

The amount of relief that had swept Obi-Wan when he had seen Hondo had been… well, incredulous. He hadn’t really come across anyone from the Clone War years, especially one he could consider a friend.

But now, in Hondo’s ship, a cup of hot tea in hand, he could only feel guilt for not being honest. It felt as though Hondo had as much a right to know what really happened with Anakin, but it would be dangerous for him to know.

Or, at least, that’s what Obi-Wan told himself.

“So, tell me, General-,” he had tried to tell Hondo he wasn’t really a General anymore, but it seemed old habits die hard, “-why were you on the imperial ship?”

The pirate leaned forward, eager to hear his reasons.

Now this was something Obi-Wan saw no reason to lie about, “I’d heard a rumour about the Empire gathering Jedi artifacts and kyber crystals. I don’t want the Empire to get a hold of them and boarded a ship I thought might have contained something, but it seems I was wrong… about this ship anyway,” Obi-Wan’s eyes wondered over to the crates of items Hondo had insisted on stealing from the Imperial carrier.

Despite it being Imperial property, Obi-Wan hadn’t helped the pirate steal anything. He obviously didn’t stop Hondo either.

“What’s happened to your crew?” Obi-Wan finally asked, and he could feel Hondo’s mood change drastically and his head fell.

“Well, you are not the only one to have suffered under the Empire, old friend.”

And Obi-Wan could rightly feel his pain and understand it. “I’m sorry, Hondo.”

But then Hondo seemed to perk up, “Say, I am out of a crew, and you appear to be alone. Why don’t we work together to get Imperial equipment, and see if they have any of your Jedi things?”

Obi-Wan thought about it. True, it was always better to work together. But Obi-Wan was highly wanted by the Empire… of course, Hondo already knew that, and he was a criminal and used to such a thing.

“It is simply a suggestion,” Hondo said fast when Obi-Wan hadn’t replied right away, “it is not necessary, we will just go our lonely separate ways.”

The pirate was upset, of course, even a non-force user would be able to tell that. And, unwillingly, Obi-Wan found himself genuinely smiling again in the presence of his friend, “Captain Ohnaka, I do believe that’s a brilliant idea.”

Hondo beamed.

* * *

The pirate life was very thrilling, though Obi-Wan would never admit it. He’d shed his Jedi clothing and placed them hidden in the ship, along with his lightsaber. After all, they were on a job and nobody needed to find out he was a Jedi.

If they went anywhere, he could potentially be recognised, which turned out to be more places than Obi-Wan could have thought. So, he would wear a mask and they’d simply refer to him as ‘Ben’. He’d usually put on a different accent as well, a basic Outer Rim one, much like Anakin’s.

No one suspected anything, until there were moments anyone saw him use the Force. That usually meant he and Hondo had to skedaddle. Obi-Wan always felt bad when he had to do that, as it also meant they couldn’t return there.

One such time was now, finding themselves against another pirate after the kyber crystal Obi-Wan and Hondo had found, and Obi-Wan then pocketed.

The pirate was one Obi-Wan wasn’t familiar with, though it seemed Hondo was with the way he was cursing them and pointing out all their particular flaws. They were holding Hondo over a cliff, as an incentive to make Obi-Wan – or Ben in this case – give them the crystal.

He almost did, but they were impatient and pushed Hondo off the cliff.

“Damn it,” Obi-Wan said to himself and ran after Hondo, jumping right off the cliff to the surprise of the enemy. He grabbed onto Hondo, who in return grabbed onto him as well… very, very, very tightly.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? NOW WE ARE BOTH GOING TO DIE!” Hondo yelled through the rushing of the air.

Obi-Wan would’ve just rolled his eyes, but managed to control himself, and using the force, slowed down their fall until they simply dropped lightly onto the ground.

Obi-Wan breathed a sigh of relief, still on top of Hondo though, but Hondo hadn’t moved to push him off.

“It seems as though our friends have noticed your… peculiar abilities,” Hondo said, staring up to the top of the cliff.

“Well next time, don’t fall then,” Obi-Wan joked, getting up and ready to make a run for their ship.

“You are an easy man to fall for, General Kenobi,” Hondo quipped, and Obi-Wan hadn’t really processed the meaning of it until they got back to the ship.

* * *

“This crystal would give us a lot of profit!” Hondo said when Obi-Wan showed it to him.

It was the first time they got into an argument.

* * *

They still weren’t on the best of terms when Hondo came across a Grand Moff’s vacation place and wanted to take something.

Unfortunately, they were discovered, but were lucky to escape with their lives.

“And we did not even get anything,” Hondo was grumbling as they jumped into hyperspace to follow a lead to some Jedi artefacts.

Obi-Wan smiled, pulling a glistening golden bracelet covered in jewels and put it in front of Hondo’s face, “I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”

Hondo grabbed it and laughed, “We might make a pirate out of you yet, Kenobi.”

They were on better terms again.

* * *

“I need to leave,” Obi-Wan announced once on a hyperspace trip. He’d just finished one of his meditation sessions, wearing his Jedi robes. He didn’t do it as often anymore as he should.

Hondo looked up from the pilot controls, both confused and startled.

“Just for a week,” Obi-Wan said carefully, sitting in the co-pilots chair, “on my own.”

“And what is so important that I cannot come with you?” Hondo swivelled in his chair, trying to look nonchalant. Obi-Wan knew Hondo better than that, and sensed some sort of disappointment.

“Jedi business,” Obi-Wan said simply, thoughts on Luke and Tatooine. As much as it was… tempting, he couldn’t stay here forever, and would have to return once he was sure the Empire didn’t get their hands on too many kyber crystals or jedi artifacts. Some days it seemed pointless to Obi-Wan, no doubt they had many on Coruscant already. Maybe he was just looking for excuses to stay.

Hondo didn’t argue, at least.

“Will you wait for me?” Obi-Wan asked, not meaning for it to sound as sentimental as it did.

And Hondo smiled, going back to the ship’s controls, “For you, my dear, anything.”

Obi-Wan thought that would be the first and only time Hondo would refer to him as ‘dear’ – he was so very wrong.

* * *

Hondo waited a week in a shanty town on some Outer Rim planet in Hutt space. Obi-Wan informed him he had to go to some other planet entirely, and although he wanted to go with the Jedi very much, he also knew whatever it was Obi-Wan had to do… well, he’d tell Hondo if it was okay for him to know.

Whatever this Jedi business was had to be important somehow, and strictly Jedi. Hondo just had to trust him, even though he didn’t like it at all.

It was a good thing it was just a week too, because Hondo felt like he’d be ready to wait forever, if he had to. And staying in this town wasn't ideal.

Besides, Obi-Wan’s return could not have been timed better, since Hondo was in the middle of a fire-fight with some of the locals after a misunderstanding in a pub.

Hondo had been running when he spotted Obi-Wan – “You’re back!” he’d cried, and tackle hugged him to the ground, to keep him out of the way of fire, of course. “I have missed you.”

Blaster fire shot right over them. “Really, Hondo?” Obi-Wan looked less than impressed.

“Just a small misunderstanding, my dear. We will sort it out.” And as if to apologise, gave him a quick peck on the lips before getting off of him.

As it turns out, they did _not_ sort it out, and had to run for the ship.

Luckily, Obi-Wan said nothing of the kiss. Hondo couldn’t quite figure out if it was a mistake or not, but the look on the Jedi’s face was not an off-putting one.

* * *

Obi-Wan had tried very, very, very hard to keep any feelings that were spiralling up under control. He was a Jedi, he’d remind himself. Unfortunately, he was also a living being, and emotions were a natural part of life.

Emotions for Hondo Ohnaka, however, should _not_ be natural. He was, after all, a criminal with a disposition to be an arse. You know, definitely not something Obi-Wan could ever be into.

Except, somehow, he was.

He thought perhaps the best thing to do was not to talk about it. Not talk about any feelings, the looks they were giving, or the kiss Hondo had given, or the fact he was referring to Obi-Wan as ‘my dear’.

Why he thought it was a good idea not to talk at all escaped him entirely, perhaps because he didn’t know how to. After all, he was coming to terms with not wanting to quash feelings at all, and he most certainly didn’t want to break the pirate’s heart (because apparently, he had one).

But it was proving a problem, because Obi-Wan would have to return to Tatooine, just him. Alone. To look over Luke. There were times he entertained the idea of telling Hondo. After all, the pirate may actually enjoy coming to stay with him.

But then the massive crushing thought that stopped it all: He was still a Jedi Knight.

* * *

He’d woken up one night – or day, he could never be sure – to fingers brushing through his hair. Hondo was sitting next to him on the bed, looking to be eating a ration bar of some kind.

He could have easily asked him to stop, but instead snuggled up closer to him and fell back asleep before realising what he’d done.

* * *

There’d been a former Padawan who’d needed help, and it had been chaotic. Hondo had almost run off with the profit.

Almost.

Instead, his morality took over. He wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he’d just... left the padawan. Regardless of if they could look after themselves or not. So he’d dropped the profit and made himself forget about it.

This child was more important.

It was a good thing too, because the way Obi-Wan looked at him afterwards, when it was just the two of them again, was breathtaking. 

“Hondo,” Obi-Wan said to get his attention, and the pirate looked at him. It seemed as though the Jedi wanted to say something more, a thank you no doubt.

Hondo was going to reply with a your welcome, and that a thank you was never necessary.

Instead, Obi-Wan kissed him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _It was really beginning to feel like Hondo was trying to smother him to death with the bacta patches._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I managed to make it bittersweet, I hope ^_^

“You are leaving then, for good?”

Hondo was unable to describe every feeling going through him, as it changed between anger, betrayal, anguish and most unfortunately a broken-heart. The amount of emotions made him feel nauseous, and if he were to puke, the emotions surely would all just come pouring out.

He crossed his hands tightly across his chest, as though he could protect himself and his heart from this. He fell roughly onto the couch, and placed his legs onto the coffee table, in the process knocking Obi-Wan’s cup from the table.

Obi-Wan made a face, one he recognised. The ‘your reaction is childish’ face, but understanding said reaction considering the circumstances.

“Hondo,” Obi-Wan said quietly, lifting the cup off the floor, “I’m still a Jedi, I have a duty.”

“So, all of this was nothing?” Hondo gestured with his hands, but not as wildly as he usually would, “You were just stringing Hondo along for the fun of it, while knowing this whole time you were going to leave and not even say anything?”

The Jedi looked rightfully ashamed. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t, and I didn’t know what to do.”

“Bah!” Hondo exclaimed, standing back up again, “Fine, what is it to me!? I will drop you off at the nearest port and you may find your own way to your secret Jedi job,” Hondo walked off, not having looked at Obi-Wan as he spoke and still very much not doing so.

“Hondo,” he heard softly from behind him, but he ignored it.

* * *

This had been so utterly foolish of Obi-Wan. He knew that. He had been reluctant to leave and been putting it off, but eventually they had found their way to some Ancient Jedi shrine, where Obi-Wan had found himself connecting with Yoda.

The Grandmaster was still on exile in Dagobah.

“Go back to Luke, you should,” Yoda said, “a child he still is. Protection and training, he still requires.”

“He’s safe where he is, Master,” Obi-Wan argued, even though he knew Yoda was right, “And I will go back to him often, to check on him.”

“Disappointed I am, Obi-Wan,” Yoda said, “remember the Jedi Code, do you not?”

And so the Grandmaster had made Obi-Wan say the Jedi Code aloud to him.

“_There is no emotion, there is peace._  
_There is no ignorance, there is knowledge._  
_ There is no passion, there is serenity._  
_ There is no chaos, there is harmony._  
_ There is no death, there is the Force_.”

“Being ruled by your emotions, you are,” Yoda said, “an attachment you have formed, like your old padawan.”

Anakin. Vader.

Obi-Wan put his head into his hands. Master Yoda was right, and this was the moment he realised he had to let go and leave Hondo. No emotion, no passion. Peace and serenity. Yet, there was no way Obi-Wan would feel peaceful at all when he would do what he had to.

And he was quite right.

* * *

“I don’t want to leave on bad terms,” Obi-Wan said to Hondo, who was changing course for who even knew where at this point. He wouldn’t put it past the pirate to maybe even kidnap him and tie him in some basement and leave him there.

“A little late for that do you not think?” Hondo didn’t look up from the controls.

In this moment, Obi-Wan felt like anyone else would know how to handle this, and he wished they were around. Anakin, Ahsoka, Padme. Hell, what he’d give for even any bounty hunter to be here to help him. Or they might take pleasure in watching this all crash and burn.

“I let myself be clouded by emotions, and the Jedi Code tells us we shouldn’t. This was-,”

“A mistake?” Hondo interrupted, “Well I am glad you think so little of me, after all I am only a pirate, scum of the galaxy.”

“That is not true,” Obi-Wan said quickly, “This wasn’t a mistake, just a very human-,” Hondo’s not-human-at-all eyes shot him an unintentional amused look, “-just a normal emotional reaction. But one, as a Jedi, I must move past. I need to let go, and I need to go back to my duties.”

“Ah General Kenobi… my love… this was most definitely a mistake,” Hondo said, “why I went and fell in love with a Jedi is on me, of course. But you having feelings for me is on you!” Hondo pulled out hard from hyperspace, and they found themselves surrounded by some ships.

“Fellow pirates!” Hondo said, “I can deal with this, they will happily speak with me.”

“Somehow, I doubt it,” Obi-Wan followed Hondo out of the cockpit.

* * *

He was right of course, instead they got themselves captured and barely got out alive. They knew Obi-Wan had been a Jedi, and it wouldn’t have been long before the Empire had gotten there, very likely with Darth Vader or his Inquisitors.

“I suppose now we can realise how dangerous it is for you to be keeping a Jedi alongside you,” Obi-Wan said, or tried to. Hondo was covering his face with a bacta patch, since it felt like every part of him had been beaten and broken.

On the other hand, it was really beginning to feel like Hondo was trying to smother him to death with the bacta patches.

“Is it necessary to be so rough?”

“Yes.”

* * *

“I suppose you should drop me off on Tatooine yourself,” Obi-Wan eventually said, laying back in the co-pilots seat.

“Tatooine? What Jedi business do you have on that hell site of a planet?”

“Exile,” Obi-Wan said simply.

“Exile!? But you can easily do exile with me! We can both be in exile!”

“I can’t do that to you, Hondo,” Obi-Wan admitted, “besides, there’s someone I need to keep an eye on there too.”

“I know how to keep an eye on people!”

“And not draw attention to yourself, him, me or the Empire?” Obi-Wan asked, attempting for some light-hearted amusement. It was a little difficult.

Hondo sighed, giving in, “I can see your point, my love. Perhaps you are right, about all of this. Having a Jedi around… is not good for business, and me going into exile… most definitely not good for business. You and I, we are like a gundark and a lothcat.”

Obi-Wan decided not to ask him which of them was which.

* * *

“You will call, at least?” Hondo had his arms around Obi-Wan as they went down the ramp of the ship. Tatooine’s suns were never forgiving, but less so today.

“I don’t think I can, Hondo,” it hurt him to say it. Then he said, “You can leave when you want Hondo, I won’t force you to just _go_, I suppose…”

“Wonderful! Because I was thinking we could go get a drink, and a room just for the two of us-,”

“Really?” Obi-Wan was a little bemused.

“Of course, I want to hold you for the rest of the night!”

And that’s what they did.

* * *

**EPILOGUE**

The Rebellion was gathering more and more people every day, the destruction of the Death Star had caused spirits to heighten to new levels.

Pirates, though, were always an interesting choice when it came to those helping the Rebellion.

“You boy! I see your laser sword; you must be a Jedi!” The Weequay pirate was an older man, but still livelier than many.

“I hope to be, someday,” Luke said with a smile. “You knew Jedi personally?”

“Yes, I did, I did,” the pirate bent down to take a closer look at his lightsaber, “that is very familiar… very familiar…”

“Um, who exactly are you?” Luke asked him, taking the smallest step back.

“Of course, how rude of me!” The Weequay straightened up, “I am Hondo Ohnaka! A Jedi sympathiser, in fact, don’t let me being a pirate fool you!”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Hondo,” Luke said, “My name's Luke Skywalker-,”

He was interrupted by the pirates sudden gasp, “Skywalker!? No! Not like Anakin Skywalker, surely?”

“You knew my father?” Luke’s eyes widened, hope and eagerness filling his expression.

“Why of course I did! He and Obi-Wan and-,”

“You knew Master Kenobi?”

“Why of course of course!” The pirate said happily, but then his face suddenly fell, “_knew_ Kenobi? Where is my dear Obi-Wan?”

Luke could sense it, his emotions suddenly crushing, everything breaking, “I’m sorry,” and of course Luke meant it with every fibre of his being, “I’m sorry we were on the Death Star and he- well… He’s dead, I’m sorry.”

“Naturally,” Hondo was clearly attempting to make it appear as though he felt no grief, but it wasn’t working, “Naturally, that is what Jedi do. Just run straight into trouble.”

He walked over to Luke, and grabbed him by the shoulders and lead him off, “But you, young Luke _Skywalker_! I must know about you. You must be who Obi-Wan was looking after on Tatooine, no?”

“Tatooine... Yeah, I grew up there," the pirate shuddered when Luke said that, so he quickly said, "But I’d love to hear about my father and Obi-Wan.”

“Naturally! And I am most excited to tell you, so let me start with when I captured them and tortured them!”

“Wait… what!?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there's that. Who knows, I may make other fics using ideas that were in this one and stretch them out into longer things but eeeehhh, gotta wait and see.

**Author's Note:**

> I was gonna finish this in one sitting, but after this it was going to get... somewhat more upsetting? And I couldn't do it. So if I think of a better way to end it, whether happier or just a nice bittersweet ending I'll get to that, which is why I've got it as two chapters ;p


End file.
